Portable crib



July 3l, 1923.

D. D. COMSTOCK ,PORTABLE CRIB Filed Jan. 19. 1921 lin titl

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sonoras nnwnr contarnos, or nennen, sans p Application lled anuay 19, 1931, Serial No, dsl.'

To all whom t may concern.'

-Be it known that I, Dono'rnr Dnwnr Consrocn, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of -Dedham, in the count of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, ve invented new and useful Improvements in Portable Cribs, of which the following is a. specication. This invention relates to babies cribs.

Cribs are a necessity for protecting `a baby while asleep, but the usual crib can not be folded into compass to be readily carried about, and travel with an infant generally involves, for this reason, makeshift sleeping arrangements of an unsatisfactory sort.A

Adequate beds for adults are generally available wherever one travels, and adaptable arrangements for putting a baby to bed safelyin an ordinary adult cot or bedare highly desirable for traveling families, but have not heretofore been available.

The only necessary feature distinguishing a crib from the usual bedl structure to 'be found every where is a frame or inclosure of proper proportions to furnish protection against falls and confine the baby to its sleepin place, and to eliminate its natural fear o what would otherwise be strange surroundings.

@ne object of my invention is to provide a portable structure which can be attached. to any bed to convert the bed into a crib; further objects areto provide a structure which will collapse into small space andv when collapsed be of a form readily carried as-luggage anywhere; and to provide convenient and simple means for retaining the crib in its collapsed and extended forms. An additional object is to provide a structure of these characteristics in such a form, when extended, as shall be properly proportioned for a crib and for placement on any usual bed, and which, when collapsed, will have internal spaces useful as carrying spaces for infants clothing,l bedding, toys, etc. Another object is to provide a structure utilizing the ordinary full-size bed clothing and mattress for the babys use and which' will 'secure such clothing against disturbance by restless movements.

A preferred way of accomplishing these and other objects will be described 1n connection with one instance of the invention shown in thev accompanying drawings, in

which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showingthe devicein use as a bed attachment for cornverting the bed into a crib; f

Flg. 2 is a-section in plan showing the device in folded condition;V a

Fig. 3 is a section showin the device in use as a carrier of articles w en folded; c

Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of one of the hin e and latch structures;

ig. 5 is .a vdetail side elevation of the 65 parts shown in Fig. 4;

Fig; 6 is a perspective view ofthe separable corner construction and latch therefor an Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the device 70 when collapsed and packed-for transport. ln the form shown the device consists of six sections 11, 12, 13, 14e, 15 and 16," but an desired even number may be provide When extended, these sections are so placed 75 and connected as to form an1 enclosure oblong in shape and preferably `twice as long as it 1s wide, so'that each of the long sidesV may consistsA of two sections joined end to end, all of the sectionsbein of the same s@ or nearly the same length. e sections are suitably connected as by hinges 17 on alternate sides of the sections at each juncture between sections, so that the device can be folded in zig-zagv fashion by separating the 85 connections' at one place and turning adjacent sections against each other. To permit such separation and folding, a separable latch which may comprise. a bar 18 fastened at 23 and a bar y19 having a hook m to engage the bar 18 pivoted at 24: to the respectivebeveled ends of the rails 20, of adjoining sections, maybe employed instead of a hinge at one of the corners. A dowel pin 25 fast in one rail fits in I'a hole in the 95 other when the parts are fastened together. The sections may be of anyfsuitable construction, for instance having upper and lower rails 20 and 21, connected by spindles 22, and diering from each other only in 100 having squared or beveled ends for the rails at the middle and corner joints respectively.. rlhe ends of the rails actas stops limiting the relative movement of the hinged section f relative to the adjacent one. en the cou.-4 m5 struction is of the preferred rail-and-spindle type, the 'oints and fastenings between the upper an the'lower rails respectively are exactly alike` the structures shown in Figs.

e, 5 and 6 being duplicated at the lower n joints between sections of the lowerrails 21; The joints between the side sections 12, 13

i and i5 l' is negatively ne adapted te' te 2 made rigid by suitable means, lsuch as a bar 26 pivoted at 9 under a wing 3 of plate Z screwed to one of the rails, and adapted to'V take under wing 6 cf a similar plate. 5 screwed` on the adjacent end of the adjoining rail. p

Near the ends of the long sides ofthe extended'- wall formed by the side Asections straps or tapes 28 are secured on or about the upper rails.' rllhese tapes provide means by which the crib, when set up on a bed, ay be drawn downwardly and held tightly upon the bed 29 by fastening the tapes to the side rails 30, or at other suitable parts 'of the bed; any suitable buckles or clasps d() may be provided to fasten the tapes, yor

they may merely beltied in place. The crib,

being of oblong shape, can bev placed either lengthwise or cross-wise lon. any ordinary bed; and, when drawn down upon the bed, converts the-bed into a satisfactory crib.

When placed upon the bed-clothes 3l the device acts as a clamp to prevent displacement of the bed clothes,and insures proper covering for a restless child, and provides a framework for crib side pads to which so many children are accustomed. ln this way also the child is made to' feel thorou hly at home, without which feelingl it is di cult to induce many children to go to sleep or to keep them quietB liorcarryingthe device in folded condition, a handle 32 is attached in a convenient place on the upper rail, 20 of one of the s ections. The tapes 28 provide means by which the collapsed crib can be tied in folded condition, if desired. lWhen folded, the crib parts define 'a rectangular solid, the spindles IMD.

22 being inline, and leaving useful packing spaces between them. These spaces and the parts of the device are preferably enclosed by a canvasor other case. For cheapness and ease of application, the case 33 may be made without stiffening .and open yat two edges 3d and 35 to define a closure Hap giving access to the packing spaces between the Vcit the 'case 33 are suitably seWQ-S essere l spindles 22. Snap fastenei's'i atthe' edges 3d, 35 hold the Hap closed; A slit 37 in the 'topof the case permits the handle. 32 to lextend therethrough. The" remaining' ges Se??? integraly folds. i l v Articles can be placed within thelded crib, either crosswise' as shown at 38, or lengthwise as shown at 39. in lFighS rlllhe latter arrangement is possible on account of the end-hinge construction, which, permits separation" of any two adjacent sections to clamp articles between them.' l

'f claim;

l. A folding crib' for use on a bed coinprising sides and ends-somewhat shorter than the sides and ends of the bed respectively, so as to rest on the bed coverings.; .along the sides and foot of the bed with a Yspace between the'upper end of the4 coverings and the head of the crib, in combination with flexible fastening means adapted to hold the crib in placeon thebed, the

as lon as the ends and being divided in 'the middle, the sections so dlvided being hinged together, thereby adording six light,

rigid sections of approximatel eqiYal length,.

whereby the crib may be fo ded with the .sections in parallel Cjuxtaposition to fit into an oblong casing.

2. A folding crib comprising li ht frames for sides and ends pivotedclget er to de-4 fine three corners of a rectan ar enclosure, the sides being approximately twice as long as the ends and being hinged in the middle, thereby an'ording six sections of approximately equal length, and means for detachably connecting two of the sections to each other at the fourth corner of the rectangle 70 sides of the crib being approximately twice 

